Young teacher with cancer finds support in students

Sunday

When Scotty Howard pulled his car up behind the mini-gym at Neosho High School, a stocking cap was tugged snugly around his bald head to keep it warm.

When Scotty Howard pulled his car up behind the mini-gym at Neosho High School, a stocking cap was tugged snugly around his bald head to keep it warm.

The temperature outside was a mild 50 degrees, but Howard needed that stocking cap to keep away the cool breeze.

Howard, 24, of Neosho, was recently diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer and has started his first chemotherapy session.

The 2002 graduate of Neosho High School had just started teaching science at the Neosho R-5 School District’s Southwest Missouri Alternative Education Center when he was diagnosed. He had also signed on to be an assistant coach for Jeremy Phillips and the Neosho High School wrestling program, of which he was an alumnus.

So, when Howard noticed that members of the wrestling team were walking around with freshly shaved heads, he quickly took off that stocking cap that was keeping his head warm.

“I started walking up, and it was very, very emotional,” Howard said. “It was indescribable the feeling and emotion that I had. I walked up there and each one of them came and gave me a hug, and I rubbed their head. One of the kids came up and told me that I was not going to fight this fight alone.”

Before Nov. 9, Howard didn’t need that stocking cap. After experiencing extreme headaches and blurred version, he visited the doctor and was told he had cancer.

“At first, cancer is a sick word,” Howard said. “You think it happens to other people — not you. I have never had any health problems my whole life. I just started my career, and I found out about this and it was real devastating because you pray for good news, but then you also know there is bad news. You get emotional with both bad and good news. It has been tough to take on, but I have a lot of good family and friends who have been there and have made it a lot more comforting.”

On Jan. 17, he begins radiation treatments and will move to St. Louis. He will take radiation five days a week for seven weeks, along with more chemotherapy treatments to treat the inoperable cancer that was also located in the back of his neck.

Howard said doctors have told him he could be cancer free after those seven weeks.

“I want to get back and work with the kids,” Howard said. “My grandfather, Al Potter, was a teacher and I respected him because there are still people to this day that have nothing bad to say about him. I want to teach and coach and help kids.”

Howard attended the wrestling team’s dual against Joplin, and watched the Wildcats cruise to an easy victory and remain undefeated this season.

“I told them that they are living a dream right now with the special group this team has and what they have accomplished so far, and this group’s dedication has uplifted me to beat (cancer) and come back and see them wrestle next year. They say this has given them hope to keep fighting on the mat, well, this has given me hope, a lot more hope than it is them.”

Even though Howard will not be able to be with his wrestling team, he is still connected to the Wildcats. Before each match, he receives a phone call on his cell phone so he can listen to the team prayer and to Coach Phillips’ pre-match speech.

“I was fortunate to go to camp with them, and watch them wrestle this summer and work with them up until Nov. 9,” Howard said. “We started bonding, and getting pretty close. It is horrible I can’t be with them now. It makes me feel like I am there even when I am not.”

The community is coming together to rally for Howard. A spaghetti red dinner and auction has been scheduled for 6 to 9 p.m. Jan. 26 at the Lampo Community Building on E. Spring St. The dinner will be served for donations, and there will also be an auction, music and an open mic.